Magic of the Ocean
by N.V.9
Summary: Mermaids are real, Sasuke knows this to be true. Itachi wouldn't lie to him. And when he falls from a cruise ship with Hidan and Itachi, Sasuke ends up being saved by these legendary creatures. And as months turn to years with no way home in sight, thoughts of returning home fade from memory as friendship, adventure, and love fill the young raven's heart.


**1**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"Brother I saw it!" Sasuke said, shaking Itachi's arm to gain his attention. His eyes refusing to leave the slow moving waves of the ocean, so far below them. Even now they searched for what he couldn't find, but he knew they were there. He saw them. Three of them that seemed to follow the cruise ship around; swimming with the dolphins or the whales, riding them like one would ride a horse sideways, or swimming beside them as they clutched the mammals' fins.

He had always been told stories of the mermaids. Of how they ruled the ocean as half man half fish. Itachi always told him stories of how beautiful they were said to be, that their tails would glisten in the water as the sun shined. He was told that they were so fast that he would blink and they could have swam right passed him. Itachi said they were shy, that they hid away from all people, but he believed they were curious, wanting to know more about them, as the humans wanted to know about the mermaids. In all of the stories told by his brother, the mermaids were said to be loyal and kind, protecting those that went adrift. He said that they stayed near the person until help came, keeping them alive as they fought off the animals that wished to hurt them. Itachi called them the warriors of the sea and Sasuke so badly wanted to meet one.

"Sasuke, what did you see?" Itachi asked him, bending down at the waist to hear him better. The fine clothing he usually wore, packed away, letting him relax in what he jokingly called freedom clothes. He said that these clothes weren't as stiff and overbearing, that they let him relax. Sasuke agreed, he liked these clothes better then the school uniform and the ties he was forced to wear. He even hated those stupid shiny shoes that pinched his toes.

"The mermaids!" Sasuke said excitedly as only a six year old could.

"I think he drank some of the sea water." Hidan, Itachi's closest friend, grinned as he leaned back against the railings, his elbows keeping him up as his own swimming trunks hung low on his hips. Hidan had been Itachi's friend for as long as Sasuke could remembe. And for as long as Sasuke could remember, Hidan had pretty much lived with them, going on every vacation with them. On the days he would spend with his own family, Sasuke would call him and ask when he was going to come home. Not having Hidan around was like not having Itachi. He hated when they were gone, not being able to see them for a while when they went to school or activities that he wasn't a part of. He wasn't looking forward to next year when both went off to college.

He felt lonely when they were gone. He had no friends. His classmates, in his private school, didn't want anything to do with him. They called him names because he was shy, smart, and didn't like to talk. Sasuke didn't know what to say when he was around other people. He hated being the center of attention and hated having to read out loud. He tried to make friends with kids, tried to join their groups as Itachi told him to, but he didn't know how.

Having Itachi and Hidan made everything okay. He knew they loved him and would never abandon him. Even now they stayed with him, doing what he wanted to do instead of teenager things. He loved that they put him first before anything else. Even when Hidan would tease him, Sasuke didn't mind. He didn't even mind the nickname Hidan always called him.

"I didn't! I saw them! They were over there!" Sasuke pointed toward the last place he saw them.

"Sasuke, I think you saw a dolphin. I've seen a few of them-"

"No I didn't, big brother. I saw them! One waved at me!" Sasuke argued, moving to step on the lowest railing on the poop deck, as Hidan kept calling it, making Sasuke unsure if he was kidding or not. "I saw them right there!" he pointed again, holding on to the top railing as Itachi moved behind him, caging his body in to keep him from falling. "This is how he waved at me," Sasuke said, moving his hand the way the mermaid waved.

"Wow, Sasuke, that's amazing." Itachi exclaimed, looking as if he was searching for them now.

Grinning proudly, Sasuke leaned back against his brother's chest.

"Little Tachi, already the first day of the vacation and you've seen more then me and your brother combined. And a mermaid of all things. Though I think the boys are known as mermen..." Hidan spoke up, turning around to face the water, crossing his arms over the railing as he rested his head on them. "Imagine what you'll see in the next thirteen days."

"Do you think I'll see them again?" Sasuke asked Hidan seriously. Thirteen days was a lot of time to meet them, he supposed. Maybe they'd take him swimming with them?

"I'm sure you will." Itachi whispered into his ear. "Maybe next time we all can see them too."

"Even Father?" Sasuke asked, turning his head to look at his brother. He really wanted his Father to see them too. He missed spending days with his Father. Missed the days he could run into his home office whenever he wanted to give him a picture he drew. He missed watching the television with his Father, and sneaking into the kitchen at night to eat the sugarless cookies his Mother baked. He wished his Father didn't have to work anymore, and that his Mother could have come with them.

Instead she had to go to Europe to showcase her clothing line. Ever since she started two years ago, picking up the scissors for the first time since Itachi was born, Sasuke had seen little of her. He never saw her on holidays anymore. He saw so little of her, he was afraid he'd forget what she looked liked, smelt like, sounded like. He saw her on the television, but everytime he saw her, it was like he was watching some foreign person instead of his Mother.

"I'm sure once Father is done with the documents he brought, he'll come join us." Itachi said after hesitating. "He wouldn't abandon us after planning this whole thing, Sasuke." his brother reassured him at Sasuke's doubtful look.

"Itachi's right, Little Tachi," Hidan said, rubbing a hand through Sasuke's hair, "This is the boys vacation! Once he does whatever he's doing, he'll be done for today and we get him for the rest of the two weeks."

"Promise?" Sasuke asked.  
"Is my name Hidan?"

Nodding at that, Sasuke grinned brightly.

"Then alright." Hidan chuckled, looking back toward the water. "Let's see if we can find your mermaids!"

:{ ~ }:

"Father?" Sasuke knocked on the door to his Father's room. It had already been five days, since they had last seen land, but Sasuke had yet to see his Father since they boarded the big cruise ship. He hadn't even seen the mermen either. He tried finding them again but he couldn't.

Not getting an answer, Sasuke sighed softly. He had thought that his Father would forget about work, that he'd be there again like he was before, but he was wrong. His Father loved work more then he loved him.

Moving away from his Father's room, Sasuke looked back toward his own room. He was sharing with Itachi and Hidan, and both of them were sound asleep, having stayed up late with him to look at the stars, trying to count as many as they could.  
He supposed he could wake them up, but he didn't feel right doing so. With a sigh, Sasuke moved toward the dining area to have breakfast. He wasn't even halfway down the stairs before he heard Itachi and Hidan screaming his name. Turning around, he found both still fixing their clothes in place, uncaring of the blushing, giggling girls.

"Sasuke, what did we tell you about going off by yourself?" Itachi demanded, picking him up and continuing onward.

"Not to go by myself. But Itachi I was hungry." Sasuke said, resting his head on Itachi's shoulder.

"You should have woke us up, Little Tachi." Hidan grumbled, yawning widely as they moved toward the buffet on the right. Picking up two plates, he put them on the counter and began slidding them down the line, putting a third plate in front of Itachi as his brother put him on the ground. Using the tongs and spoons left against the pans, Hidan and Itachi began piling stuff on all three plates, letting Sasuke choose what he wanted to eat. Once they had all they wanted on their plates, they moved to an empty table, away from annoying girls.

"So what do you want to do today, Sasuke?" Itachi asked as he forked up some scrambled eggs. "Do you want to climb on the rock wall? Play in the pool?"

"No," Sasuke shook his head and reached for his glass of juice, having to stand a little to reach it, even then Hidan had to hand it to him. He hated being so short, especially at school, since the kids called him Shrimpy and Tiny Tim. Sometimes if they were feeling mean they'd call him Short-Stop Baby-Bop. "I want to look for the mermaids... no the mermen, because they were all boys." Sasuke corrected himself as he took a sip of his juice.

"Great, here they come." Hidan grumbled. "Maybe I should hold up a sign that says we're gay."

"Wouldn't work." Itachi smirked.

Unsure of what they were talking about, Sasuke looked around and gulped at the group of girls coming toward them. Sitting back into his seat, Sasuke kept a hold of his orange juice, kicking his legs under the table. This always happened. Everytime he went somewhere with his brother and Hidan, they were mobbed by girls. And his brother was too nice to send them away. Hidan would do it, but Itachi had gotten after him the last time he used a bad word in front of him, so Sasuke knew Hidan would play nice as well. Yesterday they had hidden in the back of the ship, watching the ocean and looking for mermaids, away from the girls so they weren't bothered at all.

Before he had even finished his juice, the girls were there, twirling their hair around their fingers and being annoying. His brother responded back kindly, making some of them think he was flirting back, but only Sasuke saw the look of frustration crossing his face. Hidan was doing his part by ignoring them, but even that seemed to make the girls gush.

Putting his glass of juice on the table, Sasuke pretended not to hear some of the girls calling him cute, awing over him like he was a puppy. He knew the girls were only saying stuff like that to gain favor with his brother and Hidan, and Sasuke had to deal with it as Itachi nodded to their compliments about him.

Turning his head away from them, Sasuke let his gaze wonder around the room, pausing briefly on something that caught his attention before looking else where. He knew if he left the table, Itachi would only get after him for leaving them again, but Sasuke didn't want to hear another giggle.

Just as he was about to reach for his juice again, Sasuke noticed something he hadn't noticed before. There was another teenager Itachi's age that was just watching him back. He didn't remember seeing this boy board the ship, but then again, Sasuke hadn't seen a lot of people get on. The teenager had blonde spiky hair and deep blue eyes, markings to either side of his face. He was tall like Hidan and his brother, with the same body frame. He wore a pair of blue shorts and a white shirt.

Why did he look familiar? Sasuke wondered as his hand fell into his lap. When the teenager saw him looking back, a smile crossed his face and he waved. "The mermaid!" Sasuke gasped softly, watching him as everything else faded away. How was the mermaid, no merman, here? How come he didn't look blue anymore? How come he had human hair and not mermen hair? How come he didn't have webbed hands or a tail?

Before Sasuke could question more, the merman turned around, when more girls swarmed their table, and left the dining room. Not wanting to lose him, Sasuke jumped from his chair, grabbing Hidan's arm in the process and pulling him from his seat.

"Sasuke?" Hidan said, using his first name instead of his nickname.

"The merman! I saw him!" Sasuke said excitedly as he pulled Hidan out of the room, taking his hand to do so.

"Merman? Sasuke-" Itachi started.

"I saw him, big brother!" Sasuke said, pausing just outside the entrance and looking around for signs of the merman. Just as he felt that he lost him, Sasuke saw the merman headng down a flight of stairs. "There he is!" Sasuke pointed running after the merman, letting Hidan go so that he could run better. Before he could run down the stairs, he was lifted from behind, left to dangle in the air.

"I've told you not to run on the stairs!" Hidan growled as Sasuke struggled to get free. "What happened last time you did that?"

"Hidan, the merman's going to get away!" Sasuke said desperatly.

"Then walk down the stairs." Hidan said with the same no nonsense tone. With a pout and words to hurry up, Sasuke was carried down the stairs. Once at the bottom, Sasuke broke free of Hidan's hold and looked around. Where was he?

"Maybe we should head up again," Hidan chuckled.

"Why?" Itachi asked, only to hold back a laugh as Hidan pointed to a pair of clothes at the end of one of the hallways, leading toward the employee area. "Sasuke-"

"That's the merman's clothes!" Sasuke grinned and took off. Ignoring his name being called, Sasuke followed the hallway until it came to a small opening and a hole in the middle, showing the water of the ocean clearly. Beyond the empty room, were two doors each one saying Laundry.

"Don't get too close, Sasuke." Itachi warned, pulling him away from the edge of the hole. "I think someone took the door off for a little private swimming."

"The merman did it! That's how he got on!" Sasuke said, leaning toward the hole, Itachi's hands tightening on his shoulder.

"I don't think the merman did this, Sasuke." Itachi answered kindly as Hidan knelt beside the hole.

"There's a step ladder here, why would a ship need this?" Hidan asked.

"So the mermen can get in." Sasuke answered, shaking Itachi's hold off as he knelt beside Hidan. "Do you think he went back into the water?"

"I don't know, but we should put the door back on just incase someone comes out of the laundry room and doesn't see it." Itachi said.

"What if a worker's down there?" Hidan questioned.

"I'm pretty sure they would have put signs down." Itachi answered, looking uncertain on what to do. "Sasuke move back."

"AH!" Sasuke shouted as the ship shifted a little sending him plunging into the water. With frantic hands, Sasuke tried to turn himself around. But the waves from the ship kept sending him in circles. Unable to get air, as the water filled his nose and mouth, Sasuke felt his body shutting down. A pair of hands circled his waist, lifting Sasuke's tired eyes to see Itachi's face. When his brother's hand plugged his nose, Sasuke automatically opened his mouth. A rush of air flew from his brother's own mouth, giving Sasuke enough air that he didn't feel as if he was dying. With a few kicks from his brother, their heads hit the surface.

"Are you okay?" Itachi asked him frantically as Sasuke coughed. "Sasuke, answer me!"

"I fell in." Sasuke rasped, looking toward the ship that kept getting farter and farther away. Being on the ship he thought they were moving very slowly, but now it looked like it was speeding.

"How the fuck do we catch the ship now?" Hidan demanded, moving toward them, shivering slightly, his eyes checking Sasuke over.

"I didn't mean to fall in." Sasuke said, holding onto Itachi tightly. "I was going to move back like you said, but I slipped."

"It's okay, Sasuke. You didn't mean it. It was an accident." Itachi reassured.

"You wanna swim after it?" Hidan said as he looked around, moving his arms and legs to keep him a float.

"Sasuke's still learning how to swim, and even then, you and I couldn't catch the ship if we tried." Itachi answered.

"Well with little choice right now, that's all we got. I'm the stronger swimmer," Hidan said, reaching for Sasuke. "Sasuke, you hold onto my back and don't let go. Wrap your legs around my waist and your arms around my shoulders."

"The merman will save us." Sasuke said as he did as told.

"Well, in the meantime we'll try to save ourselves." Itachi smiled at him, kissing his forehead. "Just hold on tight to Hidan, okay?"

Nodding, Sasuke did as told. With a 'here we go, keep an eye out for the ship' from Hidan, they were moving. A few times, Sasuke felt himself slipping, but Hidan would move his body a certain way sending him back into place. They moved at an even pace, stroke for stroke, his brother and Hidan staying together. Sasuke wasn't sure how long they swam for. The sun was shining against the gently moving water, almost blinding Sasuke, but he kept looking for the ship. He knew Hidan was tiring, his strokes slowing down as he forced himself to keep going. His brother was tiring too. Itachi was slipping slowly behind Hidan, but still he kept swimming.

"I...can...'t...tir...ed" Hidan said some time later, coming to a stop as his body heaved, looking exhausted.

"Same." Itachi gasped, "Can't... lift... arms... any...mo...re."

"Just... kick...legs." Hidan coughed. "'kay, Sas...?"

"Yeah." Sasuke nodded, staying glued to Hidan's back, resting his head on the teen's shoulder. "Want me to swim?"

"No... just...stay." Hidan smiled tiredly at him. "Time?"

Itachi looked toward the sky, his face flushed red, hair tangled around his head. Whatever he saw, that Sasuke couldn't, made his eyes go wide. Taking a deep breath he said, "Two."

Two? Sasuke couldn't believe it. It was already two o'clock? They'd been swimming for almost five hours! Had anyone even noticed they were gone? Did his Father even care?

"Glad... you ... joined ...swim class... ... now?" Itachi asked Hidan.

"Worst... mis...take... best... results." Hidan chuckled only to start coughing. "Shouldn't... have... stopped moving. Coach will be happy... ... ... we did this with clothes... on."

"Body hurts." Itachi nodded, like Hidan, taking deep breaths over and over again, only to release his air slowly.

"Tired." Hidan admitted, turning his head as a wave hit him in the face.

"The merman will save us." Sasuke said again, hiding his face in Hidan's neck as the waves started moving quickly.

"How fast do storms hit?" Hidan asked, looking behind them.

"Oh fuck..." Itachi gasped, using Hidan's words. "Hidan, you have shoes right?"

"Yeah," Hidan nodded.

"Sasuke?"

"No, I have my sandles."

"Okay," Itachi nodded as he lifted his leg, grimacing as his sore body protested. "Hidan take off your shoe strings. We'll tie Sasuke to your back."

"What about you?" Sasuke asked worriedly as Itachi's and Hidan's shoes floated up beside them. Each of the teenagers quickly tearing at their shoelaces.

"We'll tie him to us." Hidan assured Sasuke, getting his shoelaces free at the same time Itachi did. Turning around, he handed the shoelaces to Itachi, who pulled one of Sasuke's legs down and tied it to the back of Hidan's thigh, Hidan doing the same to the other leg. Next a string went around Sasuke's back, and Hidan tied it around his waist, underneath his shirt, as Itachi tied another string around Sasuke's upper back, pulling Hidan's shirt completely off.

"Itachi?" Sasuke said when his brother took off his own shirt and tied it in a knot with Hidan's, pulling it tight. Looking at the storm, Sasuke realized it was getting closer and the waves were already getting higher and scarier.

"It's okay Sasuke." Itachi reassured him, as he then tied the shirt around his right wrist, Hidan doing the same to his left one. "When it hits, just hold your breath."

Nodding at his brother's words, Sasuke hid his face in Hidan's neck, feeling Itachi's arm wrap around behind him, the rope of shirts going over Hidan's head to hug the teen around his waist. Squashed between the two, Sasuke felt his heart beating like crazy when the first strong wave hit. He wanted to start crying when he felt Itachi disappear for a second, only to come back against him, his legs now wrapped around Hidan. Lifting his gaze a little, Sasuke saw Hidan trying to keep them afloat, his hand holding tightly to the shirts tied around his wrist. When another wave hit them, Sasuke tried not to scream as they went under. Hidan was struggling to take them back up, but the waves refused to let them go, sending them farther down, bouncing them around. Almost as if it was trying to tear them apart.

With another crash from the water, sending them tumbling, Itachi lost his grip. Sasuke felt the second his brother was no longer behind him. Lifting his head, the water making it harder to see as his lungs burned, Sasuke saw Itachi to the left of Hidan. Trying to swim back to them, the shirts keeping them connected as the water pulled him away. Sasuke watched as Hidan grasped onto the shirts with both hands pulling Itachi toward them. When Itachi was close enough, Hidan grasped him around the neck and pulled him close. Holding him tightly against his body, Itachi's own arms moving around him to tighten around Sasuke's own back. Not wanting to lose his brother, Sasuke's clung onto Itachi's shoulders and hair.

With a kick from Hidan, they burst to the surface, each taking a deep breath before the water dragged them back down. As they were pulled under, Sasuke's gaze locked on the lightning flashing above them, looking as if to strike them should they head back up.

His body ached to breathe, but Sasuke fought the impulse, instead he looked directly into his brother's gaze. Seeing his fear reflected back, Sasuke knew it was over. That he'd never see his Father and Mother again. That he'd never get to see Hidan and Itachi again. That he wouldn't get to see tomorrow.

Even now, Hidan's struggles became sluggish, barely fighting now. Itachi's hold was loosening a little, and Sasuke let the air he had been holding go.

:{ ~ }:

Coughing, Sasuke spit out the water that had gathered inside of him. Turning to his side, he coughed some more, feeling exhausted. Lifting his head, he blinked tired eyes to find himself still in the water, but not. Sitting up, he fingered the wooden floorboard, no wider then he was tall, beneath him. "Itachi? Hidan?" He called, turning to look for them and finding both of them completely passed out behind him, their legs dangling in the water. "Wake up!" He cried, shaking Itachi's shoulder. "Itachi! Wake up! Hidan!" Jumping over his brother, to sit between them, he tried shaking them again, hitting them in the chest when neither moved. When that did nothing, he pulled his little knees to his chest and sobbed.

Feeling a hand touch the back of his neck, Sasuke jumped. Turning around, he gasped at the sight before him. The merman watched him with pure black eyes, shoulder deep in the water, his body, completely blue and grey, his head oddly shaped, the top of it angled kind of like a fin and two holes to either side of it. His head had no hair and his hands were webbed. "Merman..." Sasuke whispered, as the merman tilted his head toward the side. "Did you save us?" he asked him.

In answer, the merman lifted his body higher, his arms holding him up as he sat on the platform. His tail fins moving where Sasuke could see them. Sasuke jumped again when the merman touched him. His blue hand running through his hair.

"Are my brother and Hidan going to live?" he asked, looking toward the two teens. He watched as the merman pointed to their bellies, making sure Sasuke saw them moving up and down as they breathed.

"How come you're not human?" Sasuke asked him, feeling relieved. "I saw you as a human."

Again the merman tilted his head, grasping Sasuke's hand and stretching out his fingers, matching it to his own. Giggling, Sasuke, tilted the merman's hand, touching the skin that connected his fingers together. "I'm Sasuke." he said, remembering to be polite. "What's your name?" getting another tilt of the merman's head, Sasuke frowned. "Don't you have a name? You don't look at all like my brother said you did." Sasuke went on as the merman continued to look at him. "Can you be human again?" Sasuke asked him.

Blinking, the merman flexed his hands, a few drops of water falling down his skin. Blowing softly on his hand, Sasuke watched transfixed, waiting for something to happen. When nothing did he frowned. "What are you doing?" he asked. In answer, the merman tilted his hand toward the sun, still blowing softly on his skin. As the water dried up, Sasuke gasped. "You're turning human!" he pointed at his hand, watching blue-grey skin turn tan and the webbing fade into his fingers. "I get it! You have to be dry!" at that the merman slapped the surface of the water with his tail gently.

Before Sasuke could say more, two more mermens appeared in front of him, both of them smaller then the merman sitting on the platform. When one reached out his webbed hand, Sasuke saw a fish held in his grip. "What's that for?" Sasuke frowned as it flopped in the merman's hand. He didn't want to touch it, it looked gross and ugly. When the merman moved it closer, Sasuke leaned farther back.

The merman beside him took the fish, and before Sasuke could stop him, bit it's head off, handing the rest of it back to Sasuke. "Ewwwww!" Sasuke gagged. "I'm not eating that! That's animal, um, animal cruelty!" Sasuke finished. "You can go to jail for that! Don't eat it! Spit it out!" Sasuke said, pointing toward the merman beside him. In answer, the merman opened his mouth and spit the fish head into his hand, making Sasuke dry heave. "Yuck! You're going to get diseases and stuff. You have to cook fish and clean them, so you don't get germs. You gotta put it back in the water and wash your hands, but don't drink the water, cause you go crazy." Sasuke advised, grabbing the merman's hand and pushing it toward the water. "Let go." he ordered.

When the merman didn't, Sasuke squeezed his hand until the dead fish fell into the water with a soft splat. Doing the same to the other hand, Sasuke nodded pleased as he pushed the merman's hands into the water, washing them as best as he could.

"Okay, you're clean." He said. With a jerk, Sasuke found the other two mermen pushing the platform from behind, making it move across the water quickly. The mermen beside him jumped back into the water, moving beneath the platform. When it lifted a little higher into the air, the platform moved faster.

Sasuke wasn't sure how longed they moved, or where they were going. Everything kind of blurred together and then faded away, but when he opened his eyes next, all three mermen were partially human. From their chest up at least. One of the other two mermen was tan and blonde like the first, his eyes a light blue, the other merman had dark hair and eyes with pale skin. One looked like a girl, and the other almost like a girl.

Feeling a touch on his leg, Sasuke lifted his head from Itachi's chest and yawned. Looking toward the girly one that touched him, he frowned. As he followed the pale one's pointed finger, Sasuke gasped as he saw an island. "LAND!" He screamed in joy, jumping slightly, Sasuke almost fell again when the mermen moved beneath the water, moving the raft toward the island. It wasn't long before they were close enough for Sasuke to jump in knees deep as he helped pull the raft toward the island, the mermens having some trouble without legs. Once he was sure his brother and Hidan were safe, he watched as the mermen pulled themselves up on the island, their tails helping pushing them up.

Without knowing what to do and unable to talk to make converstation with the mermen, Sasuke sat beside his brother, letting him sleep a little longer. He must have fallen asleep again, because the next thing he knew, he was being lifted. "Itachi? I had a weird dream. We fell in the water and the merman saved us." He mumbled tiredly, blinking his eyes open and finding tan skin instead of pale. "Itachi?" he frowned before realizing he hadn't been dreaming.

Turning his gaze upward he found the first merman carrying him. "You're human again! ... You're naked too!" Sasuke said when he noticed the merman's bare chest. "You gotta wear clothes, because you can't be naked." Sasuke advised as the merman put him down on a rock. "And how come you have no clothes? Where does your tail go? Does it disappear into your legs? How come-"

"Sasuke?" Itachi croaked, "Who are you talking to?"

"I'm dead," Hidan rasped, making Sasuke turn toward him. "My fantasy has come to life and I'm in heaven."

"Heaven?" Sasuke frowned as he looked at pale one, kneeling by Hidan, and Hidan staring stupidly at him. "You're not dead, the mermen saved us!" Sasuke countered.

"Sasuke, when did you get in my heaven?"

"We're on an island!" Sasuke argued, as Itachi sat up, groaning softly. "The mermen saved us."

"Sasuke," Itachi called as his gazed collided with the other merman with blonde hair, "who are they?" he flushed when he noticed the merman was naked.

"They're mermen!" Sasuke huffed again. "And I don't know their names. They don't talk and that one killed a fish, but don't tell the cops, cause he saved us." Sasuke whispered toward Itachi as he pointed at the first merman. "I got after him though and told him not to do it again."

"Okay..." Itachi nodded looking at the three mermen and noticing that they were all naked. "Where are their clothes?"

"They didn't have any. They dried up and got legs but no clothes. They even got hair and they don't have webbed hands!" Sasuke went on, grabbing the merman's hands to show him.

"We have naked people hanging around your brother. Hot ones, but still naked." Hidan said as Itachi reached forward and dragged Sasuke toward him, glaring at the mermen.

"They're not people!" Sasuke argued. "They're mermen!"

"Sasuke, I hate to tell you this but-" Hidan started only to stop as the pale one kissed him, shutting him up completely. "Son of a bitch." He breathed softly.

"Okay, we are getting out of here." Itachi said, standing up only to fall back, his body too tired and sore to hold both his and Sasuke's weight.

"We do not mean to frighten you." The pale one said, speaking for the first time. His voice as gentle as Sasuke's Mother's. "We only wish to aid you."

"So you kissed Hidan?" Itachi asked suspeciously.

"Kissed?" looking at the other two merman, the pale one finally said, "I only wished to know your words, to speak your tongue so as not to frighten you. I am Haku, this is my playmate, Deidara, and our guard, Naruto."

"Tell them your a merman!" Sasuke said quickly. "That you have a tail and fins, and that you're blue!"

"Sasuke," Itachi started only for Haku to stop him.

"Your brother speaks the truth. I am Haku, Prince of the Ocean."

**A/N: No idea where I'm going with this, but eh, I guess I'll find out. **


End file.
